Archive for 'Science' Category
What Did Curiosity Do to Einstein - The Magic of Physics
31 July 2007 <Everybody knows who Einstein was or, more importantly, what he did. What you might not know is that all Einstein’s discoveries now stand as starting point for the most elaborated devices, tools and appliances in various domains. Yes, the microwave oven in your kitchen wouldn’t have existed if it hadn’t been for Einstein’s genius. Not to mention the X-ray revolutions, lasers or television screens, gadgets that have entered our lives so quickly that we don’t even think who could have elaborated them.
Albert Einstein was first and foremost an example to follow, just as his motto was during his life - “to be an example”. He was also very modest, having asked the committee board at Princeton to lower his scholarship grant from 7,500 to 6,000. But what Einstein is most famous for are the innovations and discoveries in physics domain (Nobel-prize winning discoveries) and how these shook the world. Not only did Einstein develop the sphere of photo-electricity, but he also brought valuable contributions to space exploration, laser development or radiation treatment to cure cancer.
His curiosity always put him one step ahead of the others and encouraged the physics specialist to take further research work in completely new or project-level issues. Another one of his physics theories refers to the atom bomb, whose effects could not properly be imagined at those days. And if we come to think that all this physics activity really started for Einstein at the age of 5, when his father gave him a compass, it really is magic!
Even though many times physics is trapped within nebulous formulae, it will always be a subject that tackles with most of the things that human cannot find an explanation to. And, obviously, this is only for the best, because, as Einstein did all his life, there cannot be anything new if we don’t dig and wonder.
Astronomy Dilemma: Why Wasn’t Pluto Good Enough for the Universe?
31 July 2007 <Astronomy has always been fascinating to most people as it was the entity that would tell us about stars and suns, planets and orbits, making us feel very proud in the virtually unlimited universe. But this domain has been lately severely shaken by an earthquake, when the International Astronomical Union decided to cut Pluto down from the Solar System’s planet list. Now why would astronomy do such a thing? What did such a tiny planet do to offend the “high authorities”?
The sad thing about this entire situation is that the decision was not unanimous, in fact not even 5% of world’s astronomers voted. Apparently, it was all an astronomy dilemma, a sort of spin and toss choice and not a large-scale judgment. Bowling out Pluto was the result of rethinking and redefining planethood, which showed that this ninth planet’s small dimensions were not good enough as compared to the other ones.
Having lived only 76 years, Pluto was to astronomy the smallest planet in the Solar System and the only one that has remained unvisited in spacecraft. (Could it be that those who stood for the astronomy decision were envious for not having managed to se foot of it?) Since it was also the farthest planet from the Sun, its composition included mostly rock and ice, being, this way, basically impenetrable.
Aside from being special - it was never like the other planets, neither known, nor lived- Pluto was also the one after whom the famous cartoon character was named. And trust me, nobody would like having their children give up the Looney tunes playful dog, just as most astronomers didn’t like having to say good-bye to a new piece of space. With this unwanted separation astronomy committed the Solar System just got poorer. We’re waiting anxiously to see who will take Pluto’s place.
Rooting Back Philosophy: The Ancient Thought
14 July 2007 <People have resorted to philosophy ever since they began asking questions about their origins, the laws and feelings of people. Did they come to any conclusion? Not really, because this is precisely what philosophy is all about: making people wonder about their lives and not giving exact answers, but, instead, directing them towards new issues. Philosophy goes back to the times where the Romans and the Greek were uttering theories and ideas regarding love, free will or deity, an epoch that remained in the history of philosophy known as Ancient philosophy.
Philosophy enthusiasts are familiarized to names such as Socrates, Euclid, Aristotle or Plato, people who are regarded as the pillars of Ancient philosophy. It is here that metaphysical speculation begins, together with the world-wide adopted analysis and synthesis methods, which introduced in the field of philosophy new alternatives to the obscure thinking before these times. Greeks and Romans were famous for throwing parties and reunions centered on discussing topics such as love, state of god-related subjects. And the beauty of these reunions turned to the artistic side of philosophy and all its implications.
Aristotle’s philosophy centered mainly on framing human subjects and feelings, political virtues and correct judgment. If we dig deeper we will find out that it was with Socrates, and later Plato, that the psychiatrist business really began, as these philosophers compared their interest (philosophy) with an ailment for the mind and the soul. So philosophy, despite the always new topics it suggests is not at all a new science. On the contrary, its issues interested people from the very beginning and made them use their minds about whatever process was taking place around them.
Economics Tips - Choosing the Right Bank
14 July 2007 <These days, choosing the best bank is a tough business call since many banks offer a great variety of services that seem to satisfy our financial needs. Finding the best bank that can satisfy our needs implies our knowledge on what a specific bank has to offer us. Therefore, the effectiveness of a bank is supposed to be measured by having in consideration some essential economical facts, namely the profitability that we are to gain, the capital adequacy, and the asset quality of that bank as compared to other similar institutions.
The question that arises is: what makes a good bank good? As far as I’m concerned, the bank’s performance is what makes it good and worthy of us having trust in it. The performance of a bank should be a sufficient reason for us to have faith in that the bank will protect our interests. There are nonetheless some criteria that help us determine the quality of the bank as far as we, as investors, are concerned. You have to be sure that you pay the lowest interest possible, and that the engagement that you take with the bank will be available, in that very state, for the entire period of your contract. Generally speaking, the fewer the fees, the better the bank is considered to be. Another thing that you have to take in consideration when choosing the right bank is the network of ATMs that the bank has. If the bank doesn’t have a convenient network, then you will have to pay quite some money on cash-machine fees.
All in all, choosing the right bank implies especially your economics information and knowledge on how a specific bank can satisfy your financial needs and expectations. But make sure that the risks you’re taking are not too high!
Color Psychology of Red
15 June 2007 <Psychology does not limit to people – colors have a psychology of their own. More precisely, I am referring to our reactions and senses that are stimulated by different colors. Colors have a major role in our lives, even if we are not permanently aware of their importance. The fact is that we take many of our decisions regarding our likes and dislikes toward different colors. Think about it: we like a certain eye color, a certain hair color, we enjoy wearing clothes of a certain color and we even select the items we buy regarding their color. This is why the term “color psychology” was invented.
But which color is the one that has most meanings? It’s simple: red. Red is, for sure, the most intense and vibrant color. Therefore, it can cause very different psychological reactions, if put into different context. Since it symbolizes romance (due to the red color of the heart), emotions, intimate relations, love and passion, love might seem overwhelming in certain situations. Psychologists explain that this is precisely the reason why individuals avoid creating a red living space, with red walls and red furniture. Instead, red is used for accents, for accessories, since they seem to capture attention in a less aggressive way.
Furthermore, wide red surfaces are a great point of attraction – this is why there are numerous red cars that have been the target of thieves, since they capture attention so well. Red clothing does the exact same thing – while in some romantic context, complete red clothing is appropriate, a complete red outfit is rarely seem in business environments or on day time. Some people hate it, some love it; red is the most debatable color and the one that causes the most intense psychological reactions.
Biology vs. Life: the Cloning Debate
15 June 2007 <If Adam and Eve didn’t know much about their organisms or about the processes taking place inside their bodies, we can’t say the same about nowadays society. Luckily enough, biology has a lot of data available, which can tell us almost everything we need to know about the body structure or any other living being. But, there were a few times in the history of biology when this amazing science came to question the origin of human life.
Biology was seen as a sort of enemy when Darwin’s “Origin of Species” appeared, as it shattered the common belief that human existence had a biological root. But throughout the years people came to understand that biology offers explanations and doesn’t force people into automatically adopting its theories. The 20th century faced one of the most serious dilemmas when biology specialists managed to create a sheep clone, thus making the discovery that life can be produced in some laboratory.
Naturally, the biology cloning issue separated the world into two side camps: the pros and the cons. The DNA cloning allowed biologists to create new entities by a combination and modification of DNA, the result being the birth of a new being who bore a perfect similarity to the previous one. The star of cloning technology was Dolly, a sheep created from embryonic cells and who became the first successful experiment of this type of biology procedure.
Those who disagree with cloning made several protests to argue against biology’s attempt (in their opinion) to double life and destroy the uniqueness principle. But if we take a close look, we will see that, with cloning, biology has basically hit the jackpot: cloning can be used in critical situations or, at least, it can serve as a basis for future development and child birth ration in poor countries on the African continent. As new technologies are being elaborated, the developments in the field of biology and human treatment will vastly expand.
Funny Maths – A Game of the Mind
15 June 2007 <You don’t have to worry about being called a nerd just because you have a thing for math. On the contrary, knowing how to solve difficult problems could very easily bring you that smarty allure, being all of a sudden the popular kid in your school. So why is math thought of as being such a tough subject? Could it be the mazes of calculus, the lies and curves of geometry or simply the signs in algebra? Just take a shot at the fun part of math and you will be amazed at the mysteries it will reveal!
Math isn’t always about putting signs between numbers or infinitely drawing triangles and spheres. It is very often a testing of your mind accurateness and promptitude and it is often the best method to check if someone is fast or slow thinking. But math has a great advantage: it can make you look a lot smarter than you already are. For instance, if you want to expose your intellectual qualities you could very well use the “guess two numbers” trick: you ask another person to choose a number, multiply it, make sums etc, and all you have to do is follow the backwards process. There you go, it doesn’t take a genius!
If algebra is not among your strengths why not try geometry? Developing a drawing skill might turn in useful for a future architect career and that is something for which math is worth studying. You will be soon capable of projecting triangles inside circles and viceversa, without even knowing that the outcome could be an ecological house. Or, if you dare dream further, studying geometry will be knock-out for those willing to be web-designers. And trust me, making 3D puzzle, or Morley’s miracle will be piece of cake after your first try.
Science - The Universal Knowledge
4 June 2007 <Scientists are among the most respected beings on the planet because they always manage to come up with the exact explanation for whatever question there is in our minds. Indeed, so far, science has elaborated complex, yet plausible, theories for any possible subject and field that deals with forces and actions of the world. As a matter of fact, surveys show that when a man/woman is spoken of as being knowledgeable, they are immediately associated with excellence in science knowledge prior to any other topic.
Science, many times obscure and mysterious, hides infinite secrets waiting for us to discover and use them properly. Not only does science inform us on the composition of the universe, but, if we look closer, we will be surprised to learn the many tips it has to offer. For instance, we all know that the ocean is salty. But what we might not know is the fact that if the salt in the seas and oceans could be removed and spread evenly on the surface of the Earth, it would form a very thick layer, about the size of 40-story office building.
As useful as it may be, science is very often underappreciated by teenagers, who only watch it as a subject they have to take up when in high school. But once they penetrate the kernel of the scientific ideas and vision, they are very likely to forever fall in love with this science mirage. If the primitive people were amazed by any event such as eclipses, nowadays science has reached such a level that we practically get a preview notice on any event to take place, not to mention the afterwards analysis.
What’s Math Good for? The Story of Statistics
4 June 2007 <Every once in a while, when national testing takes place you can hear hundreds and hundreds of students complaining about the inutility of math. And to be honest, unless you plan in being a math teacher or develop a career in the research field, math won’t be something you can’t live without. However, there is something about math that even the most firm advocate would question: the polysemantics of math statistics. Yes, you heard me correctly. For what is math truly good for, if not statistics and the recurrent data it provides?
Math statistics is wider than you can actually imagine. Now don’t expect me to talk about its branches and formulas: that won’t be your favorite subject, for sure. But to actually assert its relevance it might be useful to hint at a few domains where statistics actually makes the difference. So, let’s take bets for instance. You might be one of those persons who are looking forward to get to a horse race and place a bet. Well, big surprise, it all works on the basis of math statistics: you take into consideration all the horses, multiply the number with the winning probability and divide it to three. And there you have it, your successful number.
What is more, in order to use statistics for your own cause you will certainly need to know at least the basics in math. Don’t expect success and winning just to pop out of nowhere. No, no! It’s all the result of laborious and strenuous math calculus and binomial probability. So, keep in mind: math is not only the formula-filled science you have to take in high school, but, most importantly, it is the standard measurement for each and every domain in the world. Whether, statistics accounts for birth rates, minority groups, population, fees or life expectancy it will always be the fittest way to know how the world stands at a given time.
Biology Facts: 5 Reasons Why You Should not Keep Some Plants inside Your Apartment
21 May 2007 <Who doesn’t like plants in their apartments or houses? They are a tranquility oasis, make your rooms livelier and improve your feeling good. But what do you do when plants have a taste for meat? No need to worry! If you are larger than a common insect (and you probably are) carnivorous plants can do you no harm, as they only consume ants, beetles, mosquitoes or spiders. Apparently biology also shares a weird part, making the beautiful elements a bit dangerous.
If you wonder if these biology children – the carnivorous plants- need any special treatment you will be surprised to learn that they act just as the other plants (though they may require more attention than a cactus does). You will need to place them in sunlit places, care for them with water and soil, talk to them and make sure their leaves don’t rot in the flower pot. The good news about carnivorous plants is that they can even help you get rid of some of the annoying mosquito guests of house flies. While feeding, these biology miracles are actually doing you a favor and this is definitely a pro.
There are more than six hundred species of carnivorous plants in the world and this means the choice is vast. If biology show us that plants feel bet when in a natural habitat, that doesn’t necessarily mean they cannot grow inside an apartment. As long as you provide them with the proper utilities, you could easily exhibit your exotic biology collection to any guest. The most beautiful apartment carnivorous plants are considered to be: the Venus flytrap, Sundews and North American Pitcher.
Biology counts thousands of plant species and it would be virtually impossible to manage to care for all of them. But since most of them are within reach why not try and give nature a helping hand and “adopt” at least one? Not only will this make the plant live longer, but it would probably make you feel better about yourself! So get started!